The Firm

After years working in well-known and traditional law firms in Brazil, the partners of Severo, Vaz, Ferreira de Moura, Olympio e Megozzi Advogados (SEVERO VAZ) decided to open a law firm as to combine personalized legal services with the necessity to quickly respond to practical, urgent and strategic questions posed by their clients.

In this context, the firm guides its practice on technical excellence in the conduction of the cases under its care, on detailed knowledge of its clients’ interests and operations, as well as on ethical values.

To better serve our clients, we count on specialized teams in the following areas: tax, civil law, social security, labor and third sector. SEVERO VAZ operates in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, the Federal District (Brasília), and maintains partnerships with first-tier law firms in other Brazilian states.

Practice Areas

Tax law practice demands dynamic and modern professionals, especially when aimed at solving business issues at the federal, state and municipal leve...

TAX

Tax law practice demands dynamic and modern professionals, especially when aimed at solving business issues at the federal, state and municipal levels. We understand that the tax practice can no longer be restricted to answering questions or proposing general solutions. It also needs to contemplate the following activities:

- Filing of legal actions, drafting of defenses and appeals in administrative tax proceedings, representation of clients in administrative and judicial courts, including the highest courts;

- Provision of tax consultancy to help clients optimize business structures, avoid risks of tax assessments and reduce the tax burden on relevant operations, such as: industrial and commercial operations, contractual, corporate and labor relationships, transfer of assets and equity interests, as well as international and domestic financial transactions;

- Provision of consultancy on import and export transactions, special customs regimes and international trade operations in general, to reduce customs risks and contingencies, including through specialized knowledge of administrative and judicial customs disputes;

- Drafting of formal consultations to tax authorities to adjust tax and accounting procedures of clients to the current interpretation of legislation and regulations;

- Drafting and monitoring of special tax regimes;

- Renewal of and monitoring (real-time if authorized by client) of certificates of good standing in relation to tax debts and administrative and judicial proceedings;

- Daily monitoring of tax legislation as well as legislative bills, and prompt interpretation of existing legislation and its applicability to clients;

- Review and analysis of tax procedures in view of the legislation and its interpretation by tax authorities and Brazilian courts, allowing the reduction of tax contingencies and identification of recoverable tax credits; and

We are focused on providing overall solutions to our clients and have a team of professionals exclusively dedicated to defend the interests of our c...

LABOR

We are focused on providing overall solutions to our clients and have a team of professionals exclusively dedicated to defend the interests of our clients in the labor area. Our activities in this area are:

- Representation in individual labor claims and public civil actions;

- Negotiations with employees, associations, unions and public bodies; and

Social security has great relevance to Brazilian companies. As a result, our professionals are highly trained to offer solutions in this field. Our ...

SOCIAL SECURITY

Social security has great relevance to Brazilian companies. As a result, our professionals are highly trained to offer solutions in this field. Our activities in this area include:

- Review and analysis of social security procedures in view of the legislation and its interpretation by social security authorities and Brazilian courts, allowing for the reduction of contingencies and identification of recoverable credits;

- Provision of consultancy to help clients optimize business structures, avoid risks of assessments and reduce the social security burden that results from labor issues, such as labor benefits, stock options and profit sharing;

- Drafting of legal opinions and formal consultations to social security authorities to enable clients to adjust the accounting and fiscal procedures adopted to applicable legislation;

- Representation in administrative and judicial proceedings, including anticipation of relevant procedural events; and

- Renewal of and close monitoring (real-time if authorized by client) of good standing certificates regarding social security obligations and administrative and judicial proceedings.

PARTNERS

Alexandre C. F. Moura

Master’s Degree with specialization in tax law (University of Coimbra Law School), specialization in constitutional tax law (Catholic University of São Paulo Law School and Bachelor of Law Degree from Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro Law School. Courses in advanced accounting (Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro), tax planning and international taxation (Brazilian Association of Financial Law), corporate and capital market law (Getulio Vargas Foundation), and certification, tax planning and management in the third sector (Superior School of Advocacy – São Paulo). Member of the Special Committee on Tax Matters of the Brazilian Bar Association, Rio de Janeiro State Chapter, in 2009, and member of the Third Sector Tax Law Committee of the Brazilian Bar Association, São Paulo State Chapter.

Daniel Olympio Pereira

Postgraduate specialization in tax law (Brazilian Institute of Tax Studies) and tax planning and management (Getulio Vargas Foundation). Bachelor of Law Degree (Cândido Mendes University Law School). Extension course in international tax law (Fluminense Federal University).

Enzo Megozzi

Graduated from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Post-Graduated in Tax Law from Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos Tributários – IBET. Teached at the Post Graduation in Tax Law Course of the Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Delivered several lectures on subjects regarding business structuring and taxation. Awarded in 2013 by the International Tax Review as an Indirect Tax Leader and cited by Chambers Latin America 2014 and Chambers Global 2014. Nominated by Analise 2014 as one of the “most admired lawyers” in tax practice.

Joel F. Vaz Filho

Graduated from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, served as a senior partner at the consulting and civil litigation, commercial and labor law practices at Garcia & Keener Advogados. Has broad expertise in structuring operations (mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures), as well as matters related to international trade. Joel has participated as an expert in civil legislation at the “Rule of Law Index”, conduted by the World Justice Project. Member of the Brazilian Bar Association, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo sections.

Luciana M. De Oliveira Severo Da Costa

Lawyer graduated from Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro. Post-Graduate in Tax Law from Universidade Federal Fluminense and Post-Graduate in Civil Procedure from Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro. Served as counsel in the areas of consulting and tax litigation at law firms Castro, Barros, Sobral Advogados, Trench, Rossi e Watanabe Advogados (Baker & McKenzie) and Bichara Advogados. Author of articles published in books specializing in Tax Law. Member of the Brazilian Bar Association, Rio de Janeiro section.

Luiz Eugenio Porto Severo da Costa

Graduated from the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), served as counsel in the areas of consulting and tax litigation at law firms Castro, Barros, Sobral Advogados and Barbosa Gomes, Müssnich & Aragão Advogados and Bichara Advogados. Author of articles published in books specializing in Tax Law. Delivered several lectures on subjects regarding business structuring and taxation. Post-graduate in Public Law from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). Master in Taxation (LLM Tax) from Northwestern University (USA). Teaches International Taxation at the Post Graduation in Tax Law Course of the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). Nominated as a “Tax Controversy Leader” by the International Tax Review 2015. Member of the Brazilian Bar Association, Rio de Janeiro section.

Paulo de Oliveira Carvalho

Graduated from Universidade Cândido Mendes (LL.B.) and worked as a consultant and lawyer in the tax consultancy department of Deloitte and Veirano Advogados. He has published several articles in specialized tax books and periodicals. Paulo specialized in Taxation and Accountancy at Universidade Federal Fluminense – UFF and completed his Masters in Taxation (LL.M.) at Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, D.C., USA). He is a member of the Brazilian Bar Association in Rio de Janeiro (OAB/RJ).